Identity Evropa (IE) is a white supremacist group focused on the preservation of white American culture and promoting white European identity.

IE spreads its propaganda via the internet and by distributing fliers, posters, and stickers, especially on college campuses.

IEs slogan, You will not replace us, reflects its belief that unless immediate action is taken, the white race is doomed to extinction by an alleged rising tide of color purportedly controlled and manipulated by Jews.

IE has participated in protests against Muslims and immigration, and joined events organized by other white supremacist groups.

Background

Identity Evropa (IE) is a white supremacist group that is focused on the preservation of white American identity and promoting white European culture. They promulgate the idea that America was founded by white people for white people and was not founded to be a multiracial or multicultural society.

In that vein, they have adopted and popularized the new white supremacist slogan You will not replace us, which is a substitute for the better-known white supremacist motto, the 14 words. Both phrases reflect the white supremacist worldview that unless immediate action is taken, the white race is doomed to extinction at the hands of an alleged rising tide of color, which is purportedly controlled and manipulated by Jews.

You will not replace us appears to have emerged in February 2017 when IE members, including the groups founder, Nathan Damigo, showed up at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City, where actor Shia LeBeouf has set up an anti-Trump live-stream for a project called He will not divide us. Damigo said to the camera, Shia LeBeouf, you will not replace us with your globalism.” The others then joined in, shouting repeatedly, You will not replace us.

IE banner in Charlottesville

The slogan was also used on an IE banner at the May 2017 alt-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and chanted by IE members and other white supremacists during both the torch march and Unite the Right rally in August.

IE distinguishes itself from other white supremacist groups by avoiding the most recognizable white supremacist imagery and language. The groups logo is a blue or white dragons eye, an ancient European symbol that represents the choice between good and evil. For their posters and fliers, IE often uses black and white images of sculptures, including as Michelangelos statue of David or Nicolas Coustous statue of Julius Caesar. These classic European images are accompanied by variably subtle white supremacist messages: Our destiny is ours, White people do something, Our future belongs to us, Only we can be us, Lets become great again, Serve your people, and Protect your heritage.

Leadership

Throughout 2017, Identity Evropa’s leadership has been in a state ofdisarray.

The group was founded by Nathan Damigo of Oakdale, California, an Iraq war veteran who is also aconvicted felon and, most recently, awhite supremacist leader. After an Other Than Honorable discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2007, Damigo served five years in prison for robbing a man he believed was an Iraqi, in La Mesa, California. While in prison, Damigo reportedly read former Klan leader David Dukes book, My Awakening, which influenced him to adopt white supremacist views. After his release from prison in 2014 and while attending California State University, Stanislaus, Damigo briefly led the National Youth Front (NYF), the youth-wing of the white supremacist American Freedom Party (AMF). After NYF disbanded, Damigo went on to form IE in March 2016.

Less than a year and a half later, on August 27, 2017, Damigo announced he was stepping down as the IE leader. Citing competing personal obligations, he appointed Elliott “Eli Mosley” Kline of Pennsylvania as the groups new chief executive officer. Kline, an Army veteran, joined IE in 2016 and served as IEs director of events. After leading the group for justthree months, Kline resigned, citing irreconcilable differences. He and Richard Spencer quicklypartnered to form a new alt right organization called Operation Homeland.

On November 27, 2017, Identity Evropas second in command, Chief of Staff Patrick Casey (previously known as Reinhard Wolff) was named the group’snew leader. Casey, whose membership with Identity Evropa dates back to the organization’sfirst days, previously held the position of Spokesman and Director of Administration. His activism has included recruitment efforts at his alum, San Diego State University in California. He is employed by Red Ice TV, a Swedish alt right political news aggregator, where he writes articles and provides live commentary.

In his first public statement as the groups leader, Casey said that Identity Evropa would no longer be participating in large pre-announced events in which any one could show up and participate, but instead, would hold by invitation only events mostly for Identity Evropa members and otherswho agree with their identitarian message. His stated goals for Identity Evropa include more activism in the form of campus fliering, bigger banner drops, larger flash demonstrations, and privately organized events.

Activity

Identity Evropa is active online, but is best known for distributing white supremacist posters at universities across the country.

The groups flyers have already appeared on a dozen college campuses in the first few weeks of the 2017-2018 school year. In a departure from the imagery used in previous flyers, the new flyers featureDamigo and Evan Thomas, an IE member from Michigan, andinclude new phrases, includingOur generation, our future, our last chance and Action. Leadership. Identity.

IE fliers postedat colleges

Posters promoting books published by Arktos Media have accompanied recent IE flyer distributions. Arktos Media is a far-right publishing company led by Daniel Friberg, a former Swedish neo-Nazi.

IE took a break from campus activism during the summer of 2017 and distributed fliers in cities such as Atlanta, Seattle, Washington D.C., Boston, New York and Orlando. During the month of August, their activism included placing fliers and flower bouquets on various Confederate monuments and Veteran Memorials located in states such as Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Virginia.

They have also hung banners promoting themselves and their anti-immigration stance from overpasses and bridges in Florida, Minnesota, California, North Carolina and Georgia.

In June 2017, IE participated in anti-Muslim rallies organized by ACT for America in New York, Orlando, and Indianapolis.

Identity Evropa has also participated in events organized by other white supremacist groups. These events have included white supremacist conferences and events focused on the preservation of Confederate monuments and free speech.

Recent public activity includes:

Charlottesville, Virginia, August 12, 2017: IE members attended a white supremacist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Portland, Oregon, August 7, 2017: IE members participated in an event organized by Joey Gibson of Patriot Prayer, a Washington-based anti-government patriot group.

Miami, Florida, August 6, 2017: IE members disrupted a pro-immigration forum at Miami Dade Colleges-Kendall Campus by going on stage and unfurling an Identity Evropa banner in front of the forum speakers.

IE protesting at Miami Dade College

Burns, Tennessee, July 28-20, 2017: IE members attended the annual conference held by the American Renaissance.

Charlottesville, Virginia, May 13, 2017: IE members participated in a white supremacist rally against the removal of confederate monuments.

St Paul, Minnesota May 6, 2017: IE members joined a Make America Great Again rally.

Berkeley, California, April 15, 2017: IE members participated in free speech that turned so violent that it was later dubbed the Battle of Berkeley. Damigo gained notoriety after punching a female counter-protester during the brawl.